Review: Cyberoam CR10iNG Unified Threat Management Tool

When Cyberoam dubs CR10iNG as the fastest & most affordable UTM (Unified Threat Management)” appliance for SOHO/ROBO markets, it calls for a review based on performance check of this neat little box. And that is what we did.

Advanced Firmware – At the base of CR10iNG lies the new Cyberoam OS. It is a powerful combine of hardware and software of the NG series that offers next-generation security features to SOHO/ROBO segment at par with its bigger counterparts meant for enterprises.

This firmware indeed makes for a speedy and responsive system. Firewalls are the first line of defence against external intrusions while also connecting the network with the external world. When firewall security was fully enabled on the CR10iNG, while maximizing traffic both ways and across several ports, no remarkable slowdown was recorded. The traffic continued to pass through the device with minimum impact. The appliance stood up to its claim of Firewall throughput close to 400 Mbps and UTM throughput of 60 Mbps, even when conditions were not optimum.

At the base of all its security features is the Layer 8 Technology – Cyberoam’s USP. This technology treats User-Identity as the 8th Layer or the HUMAN layer in the protocol stack. This technology makes its presence felt as each and every individual user on the networks is seamlessly tracked. This adds speed to an organization’s security by offering instant visibility into the source of attacks by user name rather than only IP address.

The easy-on-eyes set up wizard makes it easy to configure and add features. The user interface is browser enabled and comes with complete graphical display. The basic zone-to-zone firewall rules are pre-configured and can be easily customized for deeper security.

The Web filtering policies can be set up to its full potential in a powerful ways. It enables Internet usage policies by limiting/blocking access to sites and applications that aren’t crucial to business and it completely eliminates malware/spyware from the network. Thus it is easy to block or allow access to social media sites during specified hours. For example employee access to social media such as as Facebook and/or Instagram only during lunch hours, ensures productivity and unnecessary wastage of work hours. This seems to be tailor made for SOHO ROBO segment.

Cyberoam CR10iNG Unified Threat Management System

The intrusion prevention system of CR10iNG proves to be remarkably accurate with almost zero dropping of legitimate traffic. The IPS offers comprehensive safety through its proactive approach. The powerful firmware makes IPS configuration very easy and effective. Applying IPS policies in ready to use templates is done within a few clicks of the mouse.

The appliance supports multiple VPN protocols, including IPSec, L2TP, PPTP and SSL. Cyberoam CR10iNG appliance seems to be designed well to bring small branch / home office security at par with corporate HQ. It enables secure VPN access for remote and mobile workers, letting them access business apps and servers securely. It offers easy VPN set up to authenticate users.

Conclusion – The problem for small business is that on one hand most security aren’t powerful enough to protect their networks or fight the evolving threats. On the other hand, high powered enterprise class security are too costly and resource intensive in terms of dedicated IT expertise. CR10iNG fills this gap effectively. The SOHO/ROBO segments can look forward to a security that is powerful and almost at par with enterprise security. In terms of ease-of-use, it seems tailor made for small businesses with limited IT expertise.

The Cyberoam CR10iNG will be launched early next year in Kenya at USD 400, both for the appliance and licences and with Mart Networks as the authorized channel distributors in the region.